by Bill Heaney
Labour election candidate in Dumbarton, Helensburgh and Lomond Jackie Baille has blasted the lack of opportunities for newly qualified primary school teachers after data revealed nine out of 10 cannot find a permanent job.
Scottish Government figures indicate that the number of new teachers who have completed their guaranteed probationary year of employment and gone on to find a full-time permanent post has plummeted.
Between 2019/20 and 2024/25, the percentage of post-induction primary teachers in permanent roles dropped from 41.1 per cent to 10.8 per cent.
Meanwhile, the percentage of such teachers in part-time, temporary employment has increased from 5.8 per cent to 13.2 per cent.
It comes as teachers already in the profession struggle to cope with the burgeoning workload.
Scottish Government figures published earlier revealed that the number of teachers leaving the profession has soared in recent years.
Official data shows that the number of full-time equivalent teachers in West Dunbartonshire’s publicly-funded schools – including Early Learning Centres – has dwindled to 901.
In 2006, the year before the SNP took office in Scotland, 1,050 teachers were on West Dunbartonshire Council’s books.
MSP Jackie Baillie, pictured right, blasted the SNP Scottish Government over the nation’s “broken” education system.
She said: “It is becoming a national scandal that we continue to train a vast number of primary school teachers, with nine out of ten being unable to find permanent posts.
“Meanwhile, teachers within the profession are leaving in droves and telling us they are overworked.
“The SNP has presided over a broken education system in crisis, failed to close the attainment gap and heaped more pressure on hard-working staff already in employment.
“It speaks to the utter incompetence of the SNP Government and the lack of leadership from John Swinney. They are out of ideas and out of time.
“A Scottish Labour government will improve workforce planning and give schools funding certainty, so they can offer teachers permanent posts or long-term contracts.
“We have also unveiled plans to recruit 2,000 specialist teachers to help children who have fallen behind in literacy and numeracy catch up.
“Only Scottish Labour will fix the SNP’s mess, get the basics right and make genuine improvements which will benefit pupils and teachers across the country.”
Caption: Jackie Baillie supporting teachers during their pay strike.
People in glass houses should not throw stones. The local Labour Council cut almost £500,000 from the Education budget on 4.3.2026 which will result in less teachers in West Dunbartonshire.